Over €95,000 for Laois biodiversity projects
Community groups in County Laois are set to benefit from funding of over €95,000 for local biodiversity initiatives as part of the Local Biodiversity Action Fund.
The money is designed to enable Laois County Council to enhance their actions on biodiversity through research and recording of the county’s unique species.
The Local Biodiversity Action Fund was established to assist Local Authorities across Ireland to implement actions in support of biodiversity.
262 projects covering a range of biodiversity-related activities were approved nationwide, including bird and bat conservation, wetland surveys and community biodiversity awareness and training.
Of those 262 approved projects, the following nine are in Laois:
- Biodiversity Awareness on the Portlaoise Orbital Route – €26,749
- Nature Based Solutions Project – €20,000
- LCC Baseline Tree Survey – €14,462.81
- Treatment of Japanese Knotweed – €10,000
- Study on Ecosystem services – cultural €10,000
- Barn Owl Project – €6,576.20
- In Your Nature – €3,966.95
- Abbeyleix Road Verge Planting Project – €2,500
- Biodiversity Borrow Boxes – €1,000
Laois Fine Gael TD Willie Aird welcomed the news, saying: “This is a significant number of projects and underscores our commitment to protecting our environment.
“I’m delighted to see funding for local projects which are so important to County Laois. I want to commend the commitment of all those involved in these projects, to protecting and enhancing our local biodiversity which is key in protecting the health of the environment in our County.
€20,000 for Walking Trails in Laois
€20,000 in funding has been approved for walking trails in Laois, with two trails receiving €10,000 each.
The Slieve Bloom Way near Rosenallis and the Binnianea Way Trail near Cullohill have each received funding for signage, the installation of trail furniture, trail repairs and upgrades.
Laois Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming welcomed the news and confirmed that Laois Partnership will be involved in managing these works.
“We are very fortunate to have such valuable walking trails across County Laois and I would encourage as many people as possible to embrace the outdoors and use these walks and all other walking trails across the county,” Deputy Fleming said.
“There has been a major increase in the number of people and families using outdoor walking areas throughout the county and these facilities are important for peoples’ overall physical and wellbeing.”
Laois County Councillor speaks in European Parliament on EU/UK relations
Independent Laois County Councillors Caroline Dwane Stanley this week spoke at the European Parliament in Brussels on the resetting of EU/UK relations from an Irish Context.
“As European Alliance Group welcome the ‘resetting’ the EU-UK relationship, this is a positive development,” Cllr Dwane Stanley said.
“From an Irish perspective, fostering greater cooperation and exchange between the EU and UK is necessary not only for our collective prosperity and resilience, but it is also crucial to maintaining peace on the Island of Ireland.
“The Irish case demonstrates how cooperation affects local communities within and outside the EU, thus highlighting the urgent need to bolster cross-border relations. This cooperation needs to extend across all social and economic aspects of our lives.
“Secondly, in a time of global uncertainty there is a clear need for working together. There cannot be a situation where different tariffs are levied for exports from the same Island.
“We hope that the EU trade commissioner will take this into consideration in negotiating with the US. My final point is a plea to those in power for our young people who have been affected by Brexit.
“I believe that all young people should be allowed to study, work and live across the EU and in the UK. The youth of today are our future and hopefully by fostering their free movement we can build a future of strong cooperation.”
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